Seboomook Management Plan
An Overview of the Unit
The Bureau of Parks and Lands launched a major planning effort
in 2004 for one of its largest new acquisitions - the Seboomook
Unit, acquired in December 2003. The Seboomook Unit includes
a total of 51,450 acres in various parcels. The largest is
the Seboomook Parcel (41,000 acres surrounding Seboomook Lake
and adjacent to Moosehead Lake, with 58 miles of water frontage).
It also includes a shoreland strip along Canada Falls Lake
and its outlet, the South Branch of the Penobscot River; 3,900
acres surrounding a series of small ponds at the top of the
St. John River watershed; a shoreline buffer around Baker
Lake; and nearby Big Spencer Mountain (4,242 acres).
These lands offer a wide-ranging spectrum of high quality
resources and recreational opportunities, including some of
the best whitewater boating in the state, outstanding native
brook trout lake fishing, big river salmon and trout fishing
on the West Branch of the Penobscot, an increasingly popular
muskelunge fishery at Baker Lake, one of the state’s
most magnificent mountains, Big Spencer Mountain, and great
wildlife viewing opportunities (two active eagles nests, loons,
moose, deer, and the usual gamut of wildlife). There are 14
“campsites” on these lands, many of which have
multiple sites; including two sites that are part of the Penobscot
River Corridor, the Burbank and Roll Dam campsites below Seboomook
Dam. The Penobscot River Corridor is a state park water trail
beginning below Seboomook dam and ending at Ambejejus Lake.
There are also two private businesses that are in-holdings
in the Unit: Pittston Farm, a historic farm that once served
as the hub of Great Northern’s logging operations in
the West Branch District, located on Seboomook Lake, now is
operated as a sporting camp and provides lodging, meals and
gas for hunters, snowmobilers, and other recreationists visiting
the area; and Seboomook Campground at the north end of Moosehead
Lake, which is accessed via the South Seboomook road within
the Unit.
What is making the development of this plan both interesting
and challenging is that this unit is currently part of the
North Maine Woods (NMW) recreation management system, a gated
system that charges day use and camping fees. Like the Nahmakanta
Unit, these public lands are on the edge of the NMW system,
and potentially could be removed from the NMW system. On the
other hand, many see benefits of having the NMW system, as
it requires visitors to sign in and thus provides a measure
of security, especially for the private camp owners that have
seasonal camps in the area. Currently, the NMW system has
a contract with the Department to maintain the campsites on
the Unit. An important aspect of the Plan will be determining
whether the Seboomook Unit should remain in the NMW system,
and if so, how the management objectives for the unit may
be accomplished within this system.
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